I am something of a unicorn. I was raised as a Democrat, and taught in school that I was a liberal, but as an adult my position changed.

As I began to examine the parties, their history and their intrinsic approach to improving society, I began to look at each one differently. Both parties have shortcomings, and what I see with each is people taking sides based largely on emotion or elusive rhetoric.

As far as taking a label on the political spectrum, I see myself as a true conservative with a sprinkling of liberalism who is disgusted with the Republican Party and most Black Republicans.

I think it’s shameful when many Blacks call themselves Republican because of the party’s so-called “conservative” policies, as though it is either new or different, when the reality is that Black people are perhaps the most conservative people in this nation. That’s why we were traditionally Republicans in the first place. Typically, Black people embrace traditional methods and views, which is why we shifted parties when the Republican Party rhetoric and pursuits shifted.

Today’s so-called conservatives are fake because the traditional methods and views they want to embrace are the methods and views that the nation was founded on, which ignored everyone but affluent white males. That conservatism is radical and has not been traditional in a very long time. Today’s Republican conservatism is not very conservative.

Conservatism:

The tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change.

The problem is that conservatism has been redefined and its definition has been polluted much in the same manner as pro-life or feminism for Black women. Pro-life is a silly label, because most of those in that group are not about life, they are about their idea of life and most are willing to take a life to preserve their ideals, which is anti-life. Feminist is a silly label for black women, because they assume that they can pursue their rights as women, while separating racism and classism from sexism.

Many people who label themselves as conservatives actually are radicals because they want to effect change in our current system. I’m not even saying that’s a bad thing, because generally, change is good. What I am saying is that many so-called conservatives only want to deal with issues that are of a selfish nature, or will slight Blacks (erosion of Affirmative Action). I am also saying that when you begin to define yourself purely in terms of a political party, you are already making a huge mistake. Some Republicans do that in defending their beloved Party.

What I would like to see is more Blacks examining both parties closely, because the reality is that they both suck and are both filled with whites who are pursuing their own interests, while providing lip service to the interests of others.

Obviously, the Democratic Party has paid the most lip service and pursued the most benefits for minorities over the last 50-70 years, which is why Blacks have aligned themselves with that party en masse.

The Republic Party of later years has ignored Blacks, save for the boot-licking lackeys who line up to sell their people out, proving to Massah that they are good Niggers. Since, in recent times, there is very little talk of House Niggers, Coons, etc., many self-hating Blacks believe that they are actually about service to their people by attacking beneficial programs without proposing options.

To be honest, there are things I used to like about the Republican Party. Less government for example, makes a lot of sense to me. It makes sense because I know that the government can not legislate everything into existence. If we focus on enforcing the laws on the books that we already fought for and won, then we can make some headway, as opposed to seeking more legislation. We can also enjoy more if we do for ourselves and band together to amass financial power. At that point, we can buy politicians and laws, as other peoples have done.

The problem with the so-called “conservatives” who are polluting the Republican Party is that they want less government, but only when it comes to issues involving the potential benefit of minorities and poor people. More government is okay when it comes to benefiting big business and the wealthy. That’s inherently racist and undermines what used to be a decent party.

The more insidious difficulty I have with most Black Republicans, is that they disconnect their logic and reason in favor of dogma, while pretending to care about what others think.

Similar to religious zealots, many Black Republicans believe that there are clear lines dividing the parties and that they are “down” for their people in a “different” manner while becoming “conservative” Republicans. Sadly, many Black Democrats believe this, too. The reality is that there are people and elements in both parties which at once both repel and attract Black people.

I’ll speak from the heart and say some things that may shock a few who vote with their emotions or their abject selfish greed: One of my favorite presidents was Richard M. Nixon. Yes, I said it. Right up there with Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter is Richard Nixon on my favorites list. I never gave a damn about his party affiliation, I only cared about his approach to the problem of mass poverty, which was his W.I.N. Program, or Whip Inflation Now. The Welfare to Work programs that he supported were good programs designed to give poor people a helping hand in the transition into mainstream society, as opposed to crippling them with a Welfare system designed to cut them off for any attempt at progress. You see, as a true conservative, I am concerned about the lies that this nation told when it claimed to be founded for the people, by the people and of the people, for freedom of religion, speech, blah, blah, blah. I want those lies to be true.

I am a true conservative because I really do want less government, which means I want the government to stop being used to repeal every right and benefit earned by Blacks, to be replaced by nothing. I want the government to stay away from Affirmative Action. I’m a true conservative because the traditional methods of this nation are to repay and rebuild the peoples and nations it has diminished and I want us to keep following that model. True conservatives know that this nation should repay the sons and daughters of slaves in the traditional manner of repayment employed with the Japanese and currently with Iraq.

Yes, I said it, I am a true conservative. Am I joining the Republican Party? Not with the current venomous racists, self-hating House Niggers and low morons who are filling the party.

You see, for me, it has never been about party affiliation or any other label. It has been about balancing my own interests (which are already protected by my ability to wield assets and relationships), with my interest in seeing more of my people having money and access to progress. That’s why my biggest issue with Black Republicans is the number one reason why they join. These are largely upwardly mobile professionals who have wealth (or at least the perception of wealth), who say that the Republican Party seeks to protect them from taxes and pursues other benefits for the wealthy.

That’s a very selfish stance, which is frequently disguised with rhetoric, and a stance which fails because at the end of the day that party is too full of racists who still see you as a Nigger. A Nigger with money, but a Nigger nonetheless. You are in the house, but you can not live in the house. It is not your house.

So, you nutty Republicans can beat your chest all you want with how bad the Democratic Party is, but unless you are grouping up to effect change within that racist party of The Sons of Dixie, then you are full of it, and sadly, you aren’t open minded enough to realize it.

The sickest thing about the current assheads in the Rethuglican Party is that they want to pretend that they are the true Americans and that they alone have some rights associated with the land that others are not entitled to. For them, I will use the words of Brother Paul Robeson: “My father was a slave and my people died to build this country, and I’m going to stay right here and have part of it, just like you. And no fascist-minded people like you will drive me from it. Is that clear?”

It was once the Party of Lincoln. Now, it’s a party of fools.

Darryl James is an award-winning author of the powerful new anthology “Notes From The Edge.” James’ stage play, “Love In A Day,” opened in Los Angeles in 2011 and will be running throughout 2012. View previous installments of this column at www.bridgecolumn.proboards36.com. Reach James at djames@theblackgendergap.com.